Red Devils (Parachute Regiment)
{{Short description|British Parachute Regiment team}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
File:US Navy 050917-N-5321R-020 United Kingdom Army Regiment's Red Devils present the Union Jack, during the opening ceremonies of the 2005 Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show.jpg at an American air show in 2005]]
The Red Devils are the British Parachute Regiment's parachute display team. The Red Devils are regular serving paratroopers from the four battalions of the Parachute Regiment who have volunteered to serve on the display team. Like other members of the regiment, they wear the maroon beret that designates airborne forces.
As the official parachute display team of the British Army, the team regularly perform at air shows{{cite news |author=Dominic Gates |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/red-devils-parachute-into-the-farnborough-air-show-carrying-the-flag/ |title=Red Devils parachute into the Farnborough Air Show, carrying the flag |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=15 July 2016 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite news |author=Sean Gleaves |url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/blackpool-air-show-world-class-parachute-display-team-the-red-devils-join-august-line-up-4207141 |title=Blackpool Air Show: World-class parachute display team The Red Devils join August line-up |newspaper=Blackpool Gazette |date=4 July 2023 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite news |author=Ben Tuffin |url=https://loveandover.com/witness-the-red-devils-aerial-excitement-at-andover-armed-forces-day/ |title=Witness the Red Devils: Aerial Excitement at Andover Armed Forces Day |website=Love Andover |date=9 May 2024 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite news |author=Matt Simpson |url=https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/24426460.bournemouth-air-festival-red-devils-returns-break/ |title=Bournemouth Air Festival: Red Devils returns after break |newspaper=Dorset Echo |date=2 July 2024 |access-date=11 July 2024 }} and other events.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-surrey-33034503 |title=Crowds flock to Epsom for Derby Day |website=BBC News |date=6 June 2015 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite news |author=Samrat Chakraborty |url=https://sports.ndtv.com/world-cup-2019/new-zealand-vs-england-final-parachute-team-delivers-official-match-ball-in-world-cup-2019-final-wat-2069359 |title=Watch: Parachute Team Delivers Official Match Ball In World Cup 2019 Final |website=NDTV Sports |date=14 July 2019 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite web |author=Lee Ferran |url=https://breakingdefense.com/2022/06/how-to-safely-parachute-into-a-baseball-stadium/ |title=How to (safely) parachute into a baseball stadium |website=Breaking Defense |date=20 June 2022 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.theforester.co.uk/service/ad-feature/d-day-in-the-forest-red-devils-in-mitcheldean-691340 |title=D-Day in the Forest: Red Devils in Mitcheldean |website=The Forester |date=29 May 2024 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/army-parachute-display-teams/ |title=Army Parachute Display Teams |website=The British Army |access-date=11 July 2024 }}
History
Colonel Edward Gardener created the team in 1964 as the Parachute Regiment Free Fall Team and was their commander in the first year.{{cite web |url=http://www.red-devils-fft.com |title=The Red Devils Free Fall Team: unofficial historical website |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718010536/http://red-devils-fft.com/ |archive-date=18 July 2019 }}{{cite news |author=Alex Candlin |url=https://www.forces.net/services/army/red-devils-pay-tribute-after-death-founder-colonel-edward-gardener |title=Red Devils pay tribute after death of founder Colonel Edward Gardener |website=Forces.net |date=30 May 2023 |access-date=11 July 2024 }} They became the official parachute display team of the British Army in 1979. Their name derives from the nickname given to members of the Parachute Regiment by German forces in the North African campaign of the Second World War; the paratroopers jumped wearing the Denison smock, whose rear flap gave the effect of a tail, and became coated in red earth on landing.{{cite web |url=https://www.forces.net/services/army/red-devils-how-wwii-paratroopers-earned-nickname |title=Red Devils: How WWII paratroopers earned the nickname |website=Forces.net |date=5 August 2022 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}
In July 2022, two Red Devils team members broke the Guinness World Record for the largest flag down-planed while skydiving, measuring {{convert|450|m2|sqft}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/services/army/red-devils-break-guinness-world-record|title=Red Devils break Guinness World Record|website=Forces.net|date=25 July 2022 |accessdate=11 July 2024}} In 2023, five team members pioneered a new stunt, 'the Pentagram', in which their parachutes are joined at a single point.{{cite web |author=Lesley Gale |url=https://www.skydivemag.com/new/outrageous-stunts-the-pentagram/ |title=Outrageous stunts: The Pentagram |website=Skydiving magazine |date=24 August 2023 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite news |author=Aaron Harper |url=https://hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/salisbury/news/red-devils-display-team-achieve-world-first/ |title=Netheravon's Red Devils skydive team achieve world first |website=Greatest Hits Radio Salisbury |date=24 July 2023 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}
At Whitehaven Air Show in June 2015, a team member became entangled during a stunt collision, but his partner was able to bring him safely to the ground.{{cite news |author1=Laura Smith-Spark |author2=Lucy Pawle |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/20/europe/uk-red-devils-parachute-rescue/index.html |title=UK army parachutist rescues teammate after chute fail |website=CNN |date=20 June 2015 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/20/red-devils-members-moment-parachute-failed-whitehaven-air-show |title=Red Devils team members relive moment parachute failed |newspaper=The Observer |date=20 June 2015 |access-date=11 July 2024 }} In October 2022, a member of the team was killed in an unplanned manoeuvre while off-duty.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c729v49p9d2o |title=Parachute stunt led to Red Devils death - coroner |website=BBC News |date=12 December 2023 |access-date=11 July 2024 }}
Notable members
- Charles "Nish" Bruce (1978–1982).
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Red Devils (Parachute Regiment)}}
- [https://reddevilsonline.com/ Official website]
Category:1964 establishments in the United Kingdom
Category:Airborne units and formations
Category:Military history of Wiltshire
Category:Military parachuting in the United Kingdom
Category:Military units and formations established in 1964
Category:Organisations based in Wiltshire
Category:Parachute display teams